<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Poppy Beifong's No Good, Very Bad Week by for_darkness_shows_the_stars</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27079960">Poppy Beifong's No Good, Very Bad Week</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_darkness_shows_the_stars/pseuds/for_darkness_shows_the_stars'>for_darkness_shows_the_stars</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>What Comes After [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Badass Toph Beifong, Crack, Gaang (Avatar) as Family, Gen, POV Poppy Beifong, Passive-aggression, Post-Canon, Swearing, and i think it's very unsexy of us to forget that, i mean it's toph, of a sort?, poppy is a bit slow but she means well, poppy shall go distracted, the gaang are all some of the most politically powerful people in the world post-war</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 01:48:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,212</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27079960</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/for_darkness_shows_the_stars/pseuds/for_darkness_shows_the_stars</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the war, Toph tries to fix her relationship with her family. More often than not, it ends it arguments.<br/>Her father made a dumb comment during one of those. Toph took the opportunity with gusto, and the rest is history.</p><p>Or, the Gaang all gang up on Toph's parents</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Poppy Beifong &amp; Toph Beifong, Toph Beifong &amp; The Gaang</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>What Comes After [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1981828</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>60</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>434</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Young lady!” Poppy Beifong said. She did not raise her voice, because raising her voice would have been unladylike, and Poppy Beifong has dedicated her life to the ways of Earth Kingdom nobility.</p><p>The young lady in question did not have such qualms. Nor did she deliberate when it came to using every single one of the terrible, peasantly … <em>expressions</em> she had learned at some point after running away from home to fight in the War.</p><p>Now <em>that</em> was extremely unladylike.</p><p>To make matters worse, such unseemly language was coming from the lips of her twelve year-old daughter, who stood before her, inky black hair in a practical bun, wearing what could only be described as peasantly rags … a <em>boy’s</em> peasantly rags.</p><p>Poppy sat down, because the situation at hand was making her <em>quite distracted</em>.</p><p>“And one more thing,” the young voice said. “I’m here as a favour to <em>you</em>. Because I’m Spirits-damned <em>trying</em>. I don’t have to do this! I don’t have to be here! I don’t owe you shit! In fact, the only fucking reason I’m here is because I’m trying to fix my shitty family life, but guess what! I <em>don’t fucking need to if I don’t fucking want to!</em>”</p><p>“That’s enough, Toph!” Poppy’s husband said—<em>said</em>, not yelled, because yelling would have been unseemly and unbefitting of the Lord of the House of Beifong, and <em>they couldn’t have that.</em> “I understand that loitering around the world with that band of feral children you call <em>friends</em>—” Lao’s lip curled in disgust—“has given you some <em>ideas</em>, but you’re back in the real world now, and should do well to remember that we’re your—”</p><p>“Oh, give me a fucking <em>break</em>,” Toph snapped, throwing up her arms in exasperation. “Oh, you’re my <em>parents</em>? You want to know what <em>loitering around the world</em> with my friends has taught me? Well strap in, bitch, ‘cause I’m about to educate the fuck out of you!”</p><p>“Toph!” Poppy breathed, fanning herself as fast as she could. “That’s quite enough!”</p><p>Toph’s head didn’t snap to Poppy, but the effect was there nonetheless. “It taught me that if your parents have fucked up ideas about you, you don’t owe them shit. And guess where that puts us?”</p><p>“Enough, Toph,” Lao hissed. “We’re your family. It’s not like you have anywhere else to go, and—”</p><p>He was cut off quite forcefully as Toph began laughing. It wasn’t the fine, ladylike chuckle that Poppy herself sometimes employed in social settings, but the loud, boisterous laugh of a vagrant.  Great Spirits, what has become of them …</p><p>“You think I have nowhere else to go?” Toph asked though wheezes, and wiped at her eyes.</p><p>Lao and Poppy exchanged glances.</p><p>“Oh, by Koh’s ugly-arse <em>balls</em>, that’s a good one!”</p><p>She turned and marched out of the receiving room, laughter echoing the halls of the Beifong manor.</p>
<hr/><p>“I need you to write me a letter. Four letters, to be precise.”</p><p>“Of course, my lady.”</p><p>“Good.”</p>
<hr/><p>The first part of Toph's revenge arrived two days later, in the shape of a missive read out loud in the receiving room by their butler, Minsu. It was sent from Kyoshi Island, and addressed to Toph.</p><p>And it invited her to join their elite order of all-female warriors.</p><p>Great Spirits. If there was anything more unladylike that raising one’s voice, it was being a warrior.</p><p>“<em>—the Warriors of Kyoshi would be beyond honoured should the great Lady Beifong, the Blind Bandit, the Greatest Earthbender in the World, the Inventor of Metalbending, accept their proposal. Her skills and strategic mind would be invaluable to their ranks, and her warrior spirit, there is little doubt, can only be a gift from Avatar Kyoshi herself—</em>” Minsu read. And read on. And on.</p><p>Once he finished the letter, signed off by Captain Suki of Kyoshi Island, the poor butler looked questioningly up at Lao and Poppy.</p><p>Toph, still dressed in that horrid ensemble, marched forward, steps perfectly secure, and plucked the letter from the baffled Minsu’s hand. She folded it meticulously, smiled—<em>no</em>, that was not a smile as Poppy knew them, that was the bearing of a predator’s teeth—and put it in a pocket.</p><p>“I’ll have to think about it,” she said, and a sweet voice has never sounded so dangerous to Poppy.</p><p>Oh dear. She would go distracted!</p>
<hr/><p>The second came tied to a foot of a snowy owl-cat from the South Pole, written on a piece of parchment and bound with a delicately engraved lionwhalebone circlet.</p><p>“<em>—Master Beifong’s expertise would be invaluable in the rebuilding efforts of the Southern Water Tribe—</em>” the butler read, “—<em>and Master Katara misses their friendly sparring matches almost much as Chief-in-training Sokka misses their banter—”</em></p><p>Once Minsu finished reading, quite a bit paler than he’d been when he began, Toph repeated the ritual from before. Carefully wrapped the scroll and tied it off with the circlet, smiled her bear-wolf’s smile, and said, in a voice so sweet it sent chills down Poppy’s spine, “I’ll have to think about it.”</p>
<hr/><p>The third came in the shape of a crimson-and-gold carriage, flying under the ominous red banner of the Fire Nation, pulled by a pair of armour-clad komodo-rhinos</p><p>This time, there was no need for Minsu to read anything out loud. The reader had arrived with the letter—a stern-looking woman in her mid-fifties, dressed in fine scarlet silks, her raven hair shot through with silver, with the top part pulled into a traditional Fire Nation topknot at the crown of her head and tied with a headdress shaped like the rising sun. The woman’s amber eyes were cold on her pale face as she observed the receiving room, two armoured firebenders trailing her steps.</p><p>“I am Minister Jaiya, part of the Fire Council,” she’d said, by way of introduction.</p><p>The message itself was written on fine paper, sealed with red and gold.</p><p>“<em>To the great Lady Beifong, power, stability, strength, and health,” </em>read the minister, in a strong, clear voice.</p><p>
  <em>“His Incandescent Majesty, the Firelord Zuko, son of Princess Ursa and Ozai-once-Firelord, the First of His Name, the Red-Eyed Dragon, the Peace-maker, Blessed-of-Agni, is most honoured to extend a motion of co-operation to Her Great Ladyship—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“—an earthbender of unrivalled prowess and skill, a war hero in her own right, a most engaging conversationalist—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“—as one of His Incandescent Majesty's chief advisors—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“—who had invented two wholly separate and as of yet unheard of bending disciplines—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“—immense honour, unquestionable integrity—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“—His Incandescent Majesty would not dare insult Her Great Ladyship by presuming to put a price in gold on her time and her skills, but only humbly hopes that he is able to meet whatever price Her Great Ladyship herself chooses—”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“—included letters of transit signed by his Incandescent Majesty—”</em>
</p><p>“Thank you,” Toph said, after the minister handed her the scroll with a deep bow, forming a flame with her hands. “I’ll have to think about it.”</p>
<hr/><p>The final came on a flying bison, smiling his way into the manor, and asked Toph if she would be so kind as to reconsider his offer of travelling around the world with him, because it was just <em>so boring </em>without her around to make fun of him.</p><p>“I’ll have to think about it, Twinkletoes,” Toph said, elbowing the World Spirit.</p>
<hr/><p>Lao never did try to use <em>‘You have nowhere else to go’</em> as an argument again. And Poppy became much more wary of thinking of Toph’s new friends as a ragtag group of scoundrels.</p>
<hr/><p>Two months later, Toph packed her bags and left the manor. When Poppy tried to ask where she’s intending to go, she got treated to a smile—a real, gentle smile, not the terrifying bear-wolf’s grins she’d given them before.</p><p>Soft.</p><p>“I’m going to kick Sweetness’s arse, make fun of Snoozles until he cries, strike fear into the hearts of Sparky’s advisors, make Avatar Kyoshi proud, and kick Twinkletoes into proper earthbending shape.”</p><p>Poppy did not try to stop her.</p>
<hr/><p>Though she may have gone a bit distracted when they discovered that every single spoon in the manor has been bent into a miniature statue of Toph.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Gaang aren't the only ones who feel like the Beifongs don't give Toph the appreciation she deserves.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For Black_Victor_Cachat,  who always leaves the most amazing comments on my works (I hear ya and appreciate ya, buddy), and had this most amazing idea. Get ready for the crack-o-meter to explode.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Omashu’s postal service was renowned for its unfailing efficiency and speed all around the World. The less known aspect of it was just how <em>fun</em> it was.</p><p>The wind blew in Aang’s face as Momo curled up in his lap, and Bumi cackled madly behind him. A grin curled his lips. This—<em>this</em> was what life was meant to be. And now, because of him and his friends, the people of the World could know it again.</p><p>As the ride came to an end, Bumi and he hopped out of the wagon. Stroking Momo’s soft white fur, he turned to his oldest friend to suggest one more ride, but was interrupted by a harried-looking Omashu soldier. The man’s green armour contrasted starkly against the reddish-brown of the rock around them, his green eyes wide with exhaustion.</p><p>“Avatar Aang!” the soldier bellowed, hands curled around a white envelope.</p><p>“That’s me,” Aang said, smiling at the man, who stopped in his tracks, bowed both to Aang and Bumi, and extended the envelope to the young Avatar. “This just came for you, Avatar.”</p><p>Aang took it—the paper was soft and fine, and the seal emblazoned with the Beifong sigil. “It’s from Toph,” he said excitedly, and tore the envelope open.</p><p>As he read, the bright smile slowly began slipping off his face, replaced by determination. He turned to Bumi, eyes as hard as steel. It was rare to see the young Avatar in such a state, but anyone who has seen the boy in action should know better than to underestimate the youthful face and the sunny disposition.</p><p>(The Air Nomads may be gone, but Avatar Aang’s devotion to them is not, and it is a devotion he has heartedly extended to his friends, his family. No-one touches what is his.)</p><p>“I have to go.”</p><p>The ancient king knew better than to ask any questions. As the Avatar disappeared in a whirlwind of air—even upon mastering the four elements, the one he was born into has ever remained the closest to his heart.</p><p>Bumi picked up the discarded letter, and scanned through the neat characters, so unlike the young girl who’d dictated the words. “Well, well,” he muttered, “well, well …”</p>
<hr/><p>Oh for Spirits’ sake, this was the fifth. <em>Fifth</em>! Poppy Beifong would most certainly go distracted. If it weren’t so terribly unladylike, she would have slapped her dear husband, who’d began with this ridiculous charade in the first place.</p><p>But Poppy wouldn’t, because Poppy was a lady.</p><p>(No matter what her terribly <em>odious</em> mother-in-law had to say about her lineage—<em>so what</em> if one of her ancestors, dead for a thousand years already, was a fisherman? Certainly his ignoble heritage was not evident in Poppy herself, who’d worked so hard to be the proper lady her mother wished her to be.)</p><p>Toph had gone into the world a few weeks ago, and Poppy thought that would be the end of it. Yesterday, she’d even received a letter—delivered via a snowy owl-cat, written in the hand more suited to waterbending than calligraphy. It had detailed her arrival to the Southern Water Tribe, and the terribly unladylike shenanigans she had gotten herself into before and since.</p><p>But apparently … no.</p><p>It was <em>really</em> insulting, frankly, that the news reached her and Lao the way it did. One would think something like this merited informing the Great and Noble House of Beifong, but apparently … not.</p><p>Considering the terrible rumours that surrounded the monarch in question (and Poppy shuddered to even think of it—it was said he went into the streets freely and alone to spend time with the commoners, Earth King Kuei would <em>never</em>), it wasn’t all that surprising.</p><p>Still, as she read the transcript of the speech the King of Omashu had given his people, Poppy felt increasingly faint, and not just because she had first heard of the king’s announcement through second-hand tales and (not gossip, proper ladies didn’t gossip) information exchange with other noble ladies.</p><p><em>‘If I ever decide I am no longer fit to rule, and thus decide to chance my luck in retirement, it is my desire to be succeeded by one, Master Toph, Lady of the House of Beifong, the Greatest Earthbender in the World even-though-she-can’t-bend-with-her-face-yet-ha!, the Blind Bandit, the First Metalbender, the First Truthseer, the Inventor of the Seismic Sense, the Hero of the Hundred Year War, Avatar Aang’s earthbending master, the Official Advisor, Truthseer, Security Guard and Arm-puncher to the Firelord, and from today on, the Crown Princess of Omashu, with all the accompanying honours, such as unlimited access to the Omashu mail chutes, the unlimited supply of rock candy, a personalized feathered much-cooler-than-Ba Sing Se’s-dumb-hat-you-hear-that-</em>Kuei<em> crown, et cetera. </em></p><p><em>‘Signed, King Bumi of Omashu, the Inventor of Facebending, the Coolest Centenarian in the World, the winner of </em>Ba Sing Se-weekly’s Most Awesome World Leader <em>award sixty-seven times in a row.</em>’</p><p>Poppy shut her eyes. Walked to a secluded room, far away from anyone who could see or hear her (and communicate what they’d seen to her old hag of a mother-in-law).</p><p>And indulged in some <em>very</em> unladylike screaming.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>
  <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/stars-and-darkness">Tumblr.</a>
</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>